If there was an award for ‘coolest fish and chips in Sydney’, these fried goodies served with a stunning harbour backdrop would take it every year. The fish itself comes battered in Three Sheets Pale Ale beer batter, bronzed and crunchy, basically begging to be eaten outdoors with a cold drink in hand. Feeling extra? Add a serve of the coconut-simmered mussels, a few fish tacos or a bucket of prawns, or go all in with a seafood tower crowned with half a lobster. It’s the kind of place where it’s only a matter of time until somebody says, “Should we just stay?” after lunch. Polished but still relaxed, it nails that celebratory coastal mood in a way that feels entirely, beautifully Sydney. 10 Marine Parade, Watsons Bay; watsonsbayhotel.com.au

Fich falls into a kind of fancy fish and chippery we’ve come to know and love in Sydney, but there’s also something welcoming about this minimalist eatery. Ex-Bennelong chefs Jose Silva (who also owns Sweet Belem and Bibo) and Manny Paraiso blurred the line between local fish ’n’ chip shop and restaurant when they started their inner-west eatery, with their bang-on balance of affordability and quality. It starts with seasonal and sustainable seafood. There’s (sebago) potato scallops here, and other takeaway classics like crumbed calamari rings and beer-battered ling. Upscale dine-in offerings span albacore tuna ceviche or Spring Bay mussels with sobrasada sauce. There’s a lot to love about the more inventive dishes – think pan-fried scallops on buttery egg noodles and ‘popcorn fish’ with maple & sriracha sauce. 98-106 Audley St, Petersham; fichpetersham.com

The Brisbane brewery that’s taken over the erstwhile Wharf Bar is slinging an impressively Sydney-coded menu – overseen by ex-Rockpool, now 20 Chapel honcho Corey Costelloe – and packed with (unsurprisingly) beer-friendly beachy snacks and sustainable seafood mains. Even the pizza dough is fermented with a splash of Felons’ Australian Pale Ale. The line-caught fish and chips comes with the familiar scoop of mushy peas, glowed up as a fresh “crushed pea salad”. If you’d rather swim off into the sunset, the newest catch on the wharf is the takeaway kiosk Manly Fish & Chips. Take your old-school fish and chips to devour at The Office (IYKYK), with optional add-ons like tallow fries, as well as burgers, chilled oysters and prawns, salads, poke bowls and more. E Esplanade, Manly; felonsbrewingco.com.au

You’ll pretend you’re surprised by the queue but, let’s be honest, there’s nothing at all surprising about the queue. Perched above Shelly Beach’s impossibly blue water, this light-filled cafe turns out fish and chips that are made for post-swim hunger. The batter is crisp but not heavy, the New Zealand gurnard flakes easily, and the chips are salty in a way that practically taunts you to have ‘just one more…’ Throw in striped umbrellas, an ocean breeze and a cold drink, and suddenly, lunch turns into an afternoon. It’s pretty, yes, but it’s also solid where it counts. Sometimes you just have to take the scenic route. 1 Marine Parade, Manly; theboathousegroup.com.au

Word travels fast in Newtown, but somehow, this one still feels under the radar. On weekends only – and only until it sells out – Mister Grotto turns out a takeaway fish and chips special that’s quietly become one of the Inner West’s most impressive lunch moves. No surprise, really: it’s from the team behind Porteño and Continental Deli, so the produce is naturally top tier. Expect beautifully fresh fish in crisp, golden batter and properly seasoned chips that may not even make it to the lush lawns of Camperdown Memorial Park only metres away. Grab a box, find some grass and dig in. With fish this good, it won’t stay secret for long. 208 Australia St, Newtown; paisanoanddaughters.com.au

Think classic chippy, but with a bit of polish. Lured handles its fish with care, whether you pick it grilled or battered, and keeps the chips crisp without any of that all-too-common greasy hangover. There are fresh salads and lighter options if you’re not in full deep-fry mode, but the golden combo is still undeniably the star. Families roll in, locals grab takeaway and everything moves at an easy pace. It feels current without being trendy, and comforting without being dated. Basically, it does the traditional thing very well, just with slightly sharper edges. Shop 2/545 Sydney Rd, Seaforth; luredseafood.com.au

If your idea of fish and chips still involves fluorescent lighting and a laminated menu faded by time, Fitchies might mess with your expectations. This is the alternate-universe version: bright, sharp and obsessed with doing things properly. The fish, whether you like it grilled or bronzed in batter, tastes genuinely fresh, the coating crisp and light rather than heavy-handed. And with a focus on sustainably sourced seafood, you know your meal isn’t causing chaos in the ocean, either. There are also burgers, bowls and meal boxes on offer, so whatever fishy thing you feel like, chances are that Fitchies can deliver. Think of it as your classic fish and chips, just a bit more sharpened, polished and with better lighting. Multiple locations; fitchies.com

Out near the edge of Botany Bay, where the city starts to thin and the breeze gets salty, fish and chips start to feel like less of an option and more of an obligation. This relaxed waterfront spot serves up crisp-but-light battered fish and generous serves of chips with the kind of view that encourages you to stay a little longer. Outdoor tables make the most of it, particularly with a cocktail or glass of crisp white wine, turning lunch into something that feels a bit like a mini holiday. There are gravy-soaked chip butties and seafood-focused small plates if you’re hungry, but the golden classic is hard to beat. 1/2-4 Prince Charles Parade, Kurnell; mattsplace.au

When your family’s been in seafood forever, you don’t mess around with mediocre fish. Across from breezy Coogee Beach, this fine-tuned operation delivers the goods: crisp, golden batter wrapped around genuinely fresh fillets, and cooked-to-order chips that hold their own. There’s grilled fish if you’re feeling responsible, but the battered version is the nostalgic headline act. It works equally well eaten seaside in board shorts or, if you’re toiling away near the Barrangaroo, Circular Quay, Martin Place or Australia Square outposts, inhaled at your desk between meetings. It’s clean, consistent and simple, and sometimes that’s exactly what you want. Multiple locations; costisfishandchips.com.au

The Boathouse Group has a nose for untapped waterfront spaces; and found a hole-in-one at the Mona Vale Golf Club. With views out over the Northern Beaches green out to Warriewood Beach, The Mona Social offers a chilled clubhouse scene without a membership, complete with golfing memorabilia, pool tables and bistro eats. Head of culinary Mark LaBrooy has given a modern update to a classic club menu in both the laid-back bar and more upscale bistro, including the fish and chips – a slab of beer-battered barra served with kombu-salt-dusted shoestring fries and sea views. Level 1/3 Golf Ave, Mona Vale; theboathousegroup.com.au

There’s no mistaking a seat out of the front of Love.Fish in Barangaroo for anywhere else. Slapping fresh and sustainably-sourced seafood, elegant yet casual vibes, mottled sunshine on the waterfront, and a menu of excellent wine: this is Sydney in all its glory. This beautiful fish eatery started out in Rozelle and moved to Barangaroo much to former locals’ dismay. But in this harbourfront setting the fish comes out fast, and now you’re more likely to nab a table. Get the school prawns when they’re in season. The battered fish comes with more-ish shoestring fries, and refined dishes like line-caught swordfish and swimmer crab risotto are cooked immaculately. 7/23 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo; lovefish.com.au

There’s something deeply satisfying about grabbing a paper-wrapped bundle and power-walking it straight to the sand before the chips lose their crunch. Balmoral institution Bottom of the Harbour keeps things classic: golden chips, airy batter that crackles properly and flaky white fish that tastes like it hasn’t travelled far. You can branch out into burgers or grilled options, sure, but most people don’t. They’re here for the vinegar-drenched, eat-by-the-seaside ritual. It’s fast, unfussy and wildly reliable. Add sun, swimmers and the faint threat of a seagull ambush, and you’ve yourself got some peak Sydney fish-and-chip energy. 21 The Esplanade, Balmoral Beach; bottomoftheharbour.com.au

This cute little cantina-style shop in Carss Park, near Kogarah, does an impressive menu featuring takeaway-boxes of Australian sustainable seafood, whether you’re eating in or not. Box is the theme here, and they’re filled with most excellent and fresh produce – charred Tasmanian octopus and vibrant Greek salad on a bed of fat chips, and there’s an excellent roll stuffed with Southern fried flathead, lettuce, cheese, pickles and truffle mayo. Or, leave off the fish altogether and grab a box of chips topped with bright mushy peas and rich brown gravy. Sticky grilled calamari rings come studded with fresh chopped parsley, and there’s an arancini ball stuffed with truffled crab that we’d have boxed up any time of day. 14 Carwar Ave, Carss Park; thefishboxandco.com.au

Some nights call for fancy, but others call for comforting nostalgia on a plate. This staple inside Top Ryde Shopping Centre delivers exactly that: substantial fillets of fish in properly crunchy batter, classic chips and golden potato scallops that there never seem to be enough of. It’s generous and refreshingly straightforward: no gimmicks, no reinventions, not even a proper website; just solid portions and reliable flavour that keeps locals coming back. Top Ryde City Shopping Centre, LG1 Devlin St &, Blaxland Rd, Ryde; toprydecity.com.au

Bright lights, busy counter and locals who clearly know the drill: all excellent signs. This is proper neighbourhood fish and chips, complete with generous fillets, crunchy batter and chunky chips that don’t skimp on salt. No Instagram ambitions, no reinvention, no unnecessary flourishes, just consistent, satisfying takeaway that keeps summer weeknights afloat. Orders are wrapped quickly, handed over with a smile and usually picked at on the way home from the shop. This is the sort of place that goes from a one-off visit to becoming part of your routine. 163 Wycombe Rd, Neutral Bay